DVIDS – News – Together around the table: the communal kitchen at Exercise Nordic Response 24

U.S. Marines from 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) demonstrate interoperability by partnering with Norwegian kitchen staff and U.S. Army messengers to prepare and serve three meals a day, seven days a week. and is supporting personnel operating in the Arctic for Exercise Nordic Response 24. Andoya Air Base, Norway.

Andoya Air Base was one of three major base locations where the 2nd MAW operated during the exercise. The base is home to a U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 312 and a U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J Super assigned to Marine Corps Air Refueling Transport Squadron (VMGR) 252. It housed Hercules aircraft, ground enablers and support personnel. and the equipment of Marine Corps Support Squadron (MWSS) 273 and Marine Corps Communications Squadron (MWCS) 28, as well as various aircraft belonging to NATO allies and partner nations.

Nearly 600 people from the United States, Norway, Denmark, Finland, France, and the United Kingdom gathered every day to eat at the base's cafeteria.

To support them, a 16-man U.S. Marine Corps team including MWSS-273, VMFA-312, and MWCS-28. U.S. Army soldier of the 55th Quartermaster Company. Private Norwegian kitchen staff overcame logistical challenges and limited resources and equipment to provide dining hall visitors with a complementary menu of American and Norwegian cuisine.

“Preparing, serving, and cleaning up breakfast, lunch, and dinner was a 24/7 job,” said U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Rebecca Juarez, one of the lead food service Marines with MWSS-273. “The Norwegian kitchen staff were really polite and I really appreciated having them on board and helping out.”

When asked about the integration of US Marines and Norwegian kitchen staff, Tommy Troan, the canteen's head Norwegian chef, said, “The US Marines are good people.'' “It's good to see the different cultures we have. It works well together.”

The cafeteria served more than 1,800 meals a day, seven days a week, to fuel exercise participants for their Arctic activities. Specifically, food service teams can enhance unitized group rations by adding items to buffet food lines to obtain the additional calories needed to operate in difficult arctic weather. We have ensured that our employees have the energy they need.

“We offered more calories, more options, more hot menu items to keep everyone warm,” Juarez said. “The Norwegian kitchen staff knew we weren't used to the weather and helped us by providing us with everything we needed, including vitamin D.”

Mr. Juarez proudly spoke of how the number of visitors to the cafeteria increased after integrating the Norwegian kitchen staff.

“In past experience, Marines typically go off base to get food. Here my personnel numbers are always high, Marines are enjoying their meals, they are saving money, and they are happy. ,” Juarez explained.

Elaborating further on morale, Juarez said, “If you serve a good meal with a good attitude, Marines will look forward to going to work and going to their next meal.”

The meals provided were a key highlight for exercise participants.

“The integrated canteen is outstanding. The combination of Norwegian and American cuisine on the line has been very impressive to everyone from each country who has dined in the canteen,” said Sea of ​​the Base. said Marine Lt. Joseph Franco, assistant corps camp commander. “I can say I looked forward to every meal while I was here.”

The integrated canteen is an example of how the U.S. Marine Corps can operate with NATO allies and partners in logistics support in support of Arctic operations, as well as demonstrating friendship, interoperability between NATO nations, and It was also a symbol of the sharing of culture and tradition that occurred through Nordic exercises. Response 24.

“I enjoy being a Meals on Wheels Marine and am so grateful for the opportunity to support this exercise with my team.Experiencing a new culture and working collaboratively with another country. It was a really great experience to be able to do that,” Juarez said in conclusion. “It was also definitely rewarding to know that we were able to come together and make a big difference across the board.”